Body of missing swimmer recovered from Lake Conroe

Kassia Micek

Published 12:55 pm, Monday, May 30, 2011

LAKE CONROE - A day on the lake turned tragic for one Montgomery County family that is now coping with the loss of one of its own.

Searchers found the body of Leonard Sowells, 43, around 7:45 a.m. Monday during the second day of searching after the man was reported missing on Lake Conroe around 6 p.m. Sunday when a distress call went out to emergency crews, said Sgt. Randy Sanson, with the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Marine Division.

On Sunday, members of the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Marine Division, the Montgomery Fire Department, North Montgomery County Fire Department, Lake Conroe Fire Department and the Montgomery County Hospital District EMS were dispatched to the lake in the area of Sagittarius Drive in the Point Aquarius subdivision after the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call reporting a “distressed boat” with swimmers in the water, according to the press release.

Upon arrival, six swimmers were found safely on another boat that provided assistance. Immediately, a search began for a missing swimmer identified as a black man approximately 43 years old.

Investigators learned passengers entered the water to take turns swimming on a shallow sandbar as the rented motorboat boat took a brief stop, according to the press release. During the stop, the boat was pushed away from the sandbar area by the elements into deeper water, at which point the man entered the deeper water, according to reports.

“Our observations were that the water was extremely rough at this time with heavy winds, a three- to four-foot chop, with a strong surface current that literally pushed the boat a distance of over 50 yards away from the original sandbar and our missing swimmer before further assistance and control of the boat was obtained by a passing boat which offered assistance and notifying 911 initiating emergency response for the missing swimmer,” according to the press release. “After a brief visual search of the area was conducted, members of the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Dive team were contacted and arrived on the location to continue a coordinated surface search using side scan sonar, as well as underwater searches being made by divers.”

The underwater search was halted at 9:30 p.m. Sunday due to darkness, according to the press release. The search resumed at 6 a.m. Monday and searchers returned to the grid coordinates from the previous location.

Divers entered the water and conducted a relatively short underwater search locating the man’s body around 7:45 a.m., according to the press release. Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Trey Spikes ordered an autopsy and sent the body to the Montgomery County Forensics Center in Conroe.

Boaters are urged to take caution while on the lake, Sanson said. Those younger than 13 who are on a boat less than 26 feet long are required to wear a life jacket.

“Be safe out on the lake,” he said. “Wear your life jacket and adhere to warnings.”